Semi-automatic boat bailer



June 2, 1959 F. v. PREBYL SEMI-AUTOMATIC BOAT BAILER Filed Aug. 16, 1954 INVENTOR fi-iaq/v/r M Pk/BXL,

BY M75 ATTORNEY SElt fl-AUTDMATIC BOAT BAILER Frank V. Pribyl, Victoria, Tex.

Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 449,818

4 Claims. (Cl. 114-185) This invention relates to a boat bailer and more particularly to a device which, when manually actuated, will automatically drain bilge water from a boat.

The present invention is intended for use primarily on a boat of moderate size, for example, a craft equipped with an outboard motor. The bailer provides an opening through which bilge water may escape when the boat is in motion at planing speed. By virtue of its location on the boat, water resistance or drag is eliminated, and air pockets which might interfere with the proper operation of the boats propeller, especially on outboards when making turns, are prevented. The bailer may also be used as a drain when the boat is on dry land and the bilge is being cleaned.

While boat bailers of various types have been known for many years, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bailer which is simple and yet which operates in a positive, efficient, and trouble-free manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a manually actuable boat bailer which is effective to drain bilge water automatically when the boat is in motion.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a boat bailer which may be conveniently actuated from a plurality of locations on the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat bailer including a self-centering valve which is manually opened and automatically closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat bailer which is adjustable for installation on boats having different dimensions.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a vertical, partly sectional view of the boat bailer arranged in position on the transom of a boat.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral 1 designates the rear wall or transom of a boat on which the invention is mounted. At the bottom of the transom an orifice is formed through which a tubular valve seat and housing 2 is inserted. The valve seat and housing may be substantially cylindrical and formed with an outer flange 2a which ensures a water-tight seal against the outer surface of the transom. Element 2 may be held in place by a lock ring 3 threaded thereon and tightened down against the inner surface of the transom. The valve seat which forms the opening through which the bilge water is drained, may have suflicient length to accommodate transoms of various thicknesses. The space between the valve seat and the bottom 4 of the boat serves as a depository for shell particles, sand or other debris that may be brought into the boat.

A self-centering valve member 5, which may be made of any suitable material that will form a seal against the valve seat and housing 2, is fastened to one end of a linkage rod 6. The self-centering action of the valve member may be ensured by tapering the valve member ie V as shown and by pivoting linkage rod 6 on a connecting rod 7. The larger end of the valve member lies outside the boat and has a diameter greater than the diameter of valve seat 2. As will appear below, the smaller end of the valve member is arranged to reciprocate in valve seat 2 along with rod 6.

Linkage rod 6 may be formed with a flattened end portion 60: having a plurality of bores, such as 6b. The linkage rod is designed to accommodate various thicknesses of boat transoms simply by pivoting the linkage rod on connecting rod 7 at a particular bore 612 commensurate with the thickness of the transom. The pivot 13, which may be constituted by a bolt or cotter pin, is thus adjustable along the length of rod 6.

A bracket 8, fastened to the inner surface of transom 1 as by wood screws 14, pivotally supports connecting rod 7 at a point intermediate its extremities. The location of the pivot point is designed to allow connecting rod 7, which extends upward and downward from the pivot point, to swing sufficiently to release self-centering valve member 5 from valve seat 2. The pivot 12 may be formed by a bolt or cotter pin, for example.

A pull chain 15, attached to the upper portion of connecting rod 7 as by a ring 11, may be manually controlled from any of a plurality of positions on the boat. The pull chain may be directed to the control point by a series of pulleys (not shown). A tension return spring 9 attached to the upper portion of connecting rod 7 and fixed to transom 1 as by a hook 16, automatically reseats the self-centering valve member after bailing has been effected and the pull chain released.

In operation, when the forward motion of the boat causes the bow to rise, water in the bilge gravitates toward the stern and accumulates in a pocket formed by the transom and the bottom of the boat. When planing speed is attained, the bailer is actuated by pulling manually on pull chain 15 or the upper portion of rod 7, thereby causing connecting rod 7 to rotate about pivot 12 and exerting an outward longitudinal thrust on linkage rod 6. Valve member 5 is thus unseated from valve seat housing 2, allowing the bilge water to drain through the valve seat and housing opening. The suction created by the forward motion of the boat through the water, draws the bilge water from the boat and prevents water from entering the boat through the valve seat and housing. Release of pull chain 15 allows connecting rod 7 to rotate in the opposite direction under the bias of spring 9 and draws valve member 5 into valve seat and housing 2. Because of the self-centering action of the valve member, a tight seal between the valve member and valve seat is ensured.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this embodiment may be substantially modified without departing from the principles of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for bailing a boat, a bracket mounted on the inner surface of the transom of said boat, a rod pivoted at a point intermediate its ends on said bracket and extending upward and downward from said point, a tension spring connected to said transom and to the upper portion of said rod, another rod pivotally connected to the lower portion of said first-mentioned rod, a cone shaped valve member connected to one end of said other rod, a tubular valve seat passing through said transom near the bottom of said boat and forming an orifice through said transom, said valve member being reciprocative in said tubular valve seat and having a large end of diameter greater than the diameter of said valve seat and located outside said boat, said other rod extending from and connecting the small end of said valve member to said first-mentioned rod.

2. In the device of claim 1, a pull chain connected to the upper portion of said first-mentioned rod.

3. A boat bailer for draining a boat of water automatically after being actuated manually, comprising a tubular valve seat passing through the transom of the boat, an independently mounted cone-shaped valve member disposed within said tubular valve seat for reciprocating motion therewithin; said valve member having a large end of a diameter greater than that of said seat and located outside said boat, a small end of a diameter less than that of said tubular seat and located therewithin, and being adapted to close on and seal said seat; a first rod having one end connected to the small end of said valve member and its other end extending into said boat, a bracket mounted on the inner surface of said transom, a second rod pivotally mounted on said bracket and having one end extending downwardly from said bracket and pivotally connected to the said other end of said first rod and having its other end extending upwardly from said bracket, and a tension spring connected at one end to the inner surface of said transom and at the other end to the said other end of said second rod, whereby the last-mentioned rod end may be pulled manually against the spring tension to cause said second rod to pivot on said bracket and move said valve member 011 of said seat to allow Water to escape from said boat through said valve seat.

4. The bailer of claim 3, the pivotal connection of said first and second rods being adjustable along the length of said first rod, said tubular valve seat extending into said boat and having an end flange engaging the outer surface of said transom, and a ring threaded on the end of said valve seat extending into said boat and engaging the inner surface of said transom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,092 Fuller Aug. 24, 1875 266,102 Cordes Oct. 17, 1882 289,210 Bishop Nov. 27, 1883 404,132 Travis May 28, 1889 2,655,121 Cuneo Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,924 Denmark Mar. 25, 1918 138,627 Sweden Dec. 30, 1952 

